105 
Ordinary Meeting, April 1st, 1873. 
R. Angus Smith, Ph.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the 
Chair. 
Mr. J. S. Kipping and Mr. J. Sidebotham were appointed 
Auditors of the Treasurer’s Accounts. 
“ Note on an Observation of a small black spot on the 
Sun’s disc,” by Joseph Sidebotham, F.RA.S. 
As there is again some speculation as to the existence oi 
an intra-mercurial planet, and every little fact bearing on 
the subject may be of value, I have referred to my diary 
and find that on Monday, March 12th, 1849, our late mem- 
ber Mr. G. C. Lowe and I saw a small circular black spot 
cross a portion of the sun’s disc. We were trying the 
mounting and adjustments of a 7-inch reflector we had been 
making, and used an ink box between the eye-piece and the 
plane speculum. At first we thought this small black spot 
was upon the eye-piece, but soon found it was on the sun’s 
disc, and we watched its progress across the disc for nearly 
half an hour. The only note in my diary is the fact of the 
spot being seen — no time is mentioned, but if I remember 
rightly it was about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. 
Mr. Baxendell, on behalf of Mr. Sidebotham, F.R.A.S., 
exhibited a knife, the blade of which is steel, the bush at 
the handle brass, and the handle itself copper, all coated 
with nickel, beautifully polished. In a letter which Mr. 
Sidebotham had received from Professor Hamilton L. Smith, 
of Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y,, the writer suggests the 
use of iron or bell metal specula, coated with nickel, for 
reflecting telescopes. He says, “ I ground and prepared a 
bell metal speculum, which I coated with nickel, and this, 
Proceedings— -Lit, & Phil. Society. — Yol.XII. — No 10. — Session 1S72-3. 
